Download Festival is reporting a 70 per cent reduction in crime at this year’s event.
 
Organisers are crediting the reduction to a Crime Reduction Strategy that was implemented for the first time at the festival.
 
Police, security and organisers all worked closely together before, during and after the festival in this effort to reduce crime.
 
Access reported on this unified action against crime at festivals earlier this year, speaking to Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn, a long-time advocate and key player in bringing strategies like the one used at Download to life.
 
Several new methods were used by police and security as part of the Strategy, including jot-forms to gather information from the workforce, information hubs placed in the campsites, and regular patrols that provided increased visibility to festivalgoers.
 
Organisers, security and police worked closely together on the Strategy before, during and after the festival.
 
“This is definitely the future at these events,” said Detective Constable Kevin Walker, one of Leicestershire Police’s intelligence officers. “The fact that we are now working so closely together has certainly had a positive effect on what has been achieved at Download.”
 
Security company Showsec (pictured at Download) was part of the team that made up the Strategy, making sure Download’s 50,000 fans were kept safe throughout the weekend.
 
“This is the first time there has been a coordinated approach to tackling specific aspects of crime and it has certainly made a massive difference that we have been able to work so closely with Leicestershire Police,” said Martin Lewis, Showsec’s crime reduction manager for Download 2014.
 
“We know how an incident of crime can impact upon a person’s whole enjoyment of the event, and even their life in extreme cases, so it is important that we do all we can to prevent this,” he added. “That’s why this unified approach is a big step forward.”
 
Do you have news for Access All Areas? Email Emma Hudson

Download Festival is reporting a 70 per cent reduction in crime at this year’s event.
 
Organisers are crediting the reduction to a Crime Reduction Strategy that was implemented for the first time at the festival.
 
Police, security and organisers all worked closely together before, during and after the festival in this effort to reduce crime.
 
Access reported on this unified action against crime at festivals earlier this year, speaking to Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn, a long-time advocate and key player in bringing strategies like the one used at Download to life.
 
Several new methods were used by police and security as part of the Strategy, including jot-forms to gather information from the workforce, information hubs placed in the campsites, and regular patrols that provided increased visibility to festivalgoers.
 
Organisers, security and police worked closely together on the Strategy before, during and after the festival.
 
“This is definitely the future at these events,” said Detective Constable Kevin Walker, one of Leicestershire Police’s intelligence officers. “The fact that we are now working so closely together has certainly had a positive effect on what has been achieved at Download.”
 
Security company Showsec (pictured at Download) was part of the team that made up the Strategy, making sure Download’s 50,000 fans were kept safe throughout the weekend.
 
“This is the first time there has been a coordinated approach to tackling specific aspects of crime and it has certainly made a massive difference that we have been able to work so closely with Leicestershire Police,” said Martin Lewis, Showsec’s crime reduction manager for Download 2014.
 
“We know how an incident of crime can impact upon a person’s whole enjoyment of the event, and even their life in extreme cases, so it is important that we do all we can to prevent this,” he added. “That’s why this unified approach is a big step forward.”
 
Do you have news for Access All Areas? Email Emma Hudson